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58
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
(6). H.B., notified on the 19th September, first symptoms on the
13th. This patient was at Yarmouth from the 2nd to the 9th
September and had cockles there about the 3rd which were
purchased from a shop, but the name of the owner of the shop
was not known. He also had ice cream every day at
Yarmouth from a stall on the sands.
(7 & 8). B.W., and B.W., brother and sister. These cases contracted
the disease in Brittany. The notification was received on the
18th August, the first symptoms appearing about the 6th.
They were on holiday at a watering-place in Brittany the
whole of July and were in the habit of eating shrimps caught
on the sands. The parents stated that the water they had on
the first week of their visit was not satisfactory.
(9). J.M., notified on the 5th December, first symptoms on the 19th
November. Patient had mussels on several occasions up to
the 12th November. These were purchased from an itinerant
vendor. This case proved fatal.
(10). V.B., notified on the 21st January, first symptoms on the 10th.
This patient had winkles on the 2nd January, purchased at a
shop in Battersea.
(11). P.S., notified on the 4th October, first symptoms on the 29th
September. This patient had a quantity of whelks from an
itinerant vendor on the promenade at Margate about a fortnight
before the first symptoms appeared.
Of the five cases where water cress had been taken shortly
before the onset of the disease, none were fatal. Four of the cases
were in children and only one in an adult. In only one of the cases
was it discovered where the water cress had been grown, and in that
case inquiries were made as to the pollution of the water, but no
definite history of pollution could be ascertained.
Of the two cases where ice cream had been eaten, the ice cream
had been purchased in this Bore ugh in one case and at Hastings in
the other.
Of the eight cases which had been infected by previous cases,
four occurred in one house, and three in an institution.